TALK

Posted at 7:34 a.m. ET

NATO, or, as we used to call it, No Action Talk Only, did more talking yesterday.  The subject was Georgia.  The Wall Street Journal is disappointed:

"Empty words." That's how Moscow glibly dismissed NATO's criticism yesterday of Russia's continued occupation of Georgia. The Russians may be bullies, but like all bullies they know weakness when they see it.

The most NATO ministers could muster at their meeting in Brussels was a statement that they "cannot continue with business as usual" with Russia. There was no move to fast-track Georgia's bid to join NATO, nor a pledge to help the battered democracy rebuild its defenses.

And...

NATO leaders also failed to mention Ukraine, another applicant for NATO membership that has angered Moscow in recent years and could become its next target. Also missing was any indication that the alliance would begin making long-delayed plans for defending the Baltic member states and other countries on its eastern flank in case of attack.

And...

One of Moscow's goals is clearly to humiliate Georgia enough to topple President Mikheil Saakashvili, so he can be replaced with a pliable leader who will "Finlandize" the country, to borrow the old Cold War term for acquiescing to Kremlin wishes. In the bargain, it is also betting it can humiliate the West, which will give the people of Ukraine real doubts about whether joining NATO is worth the risk of angering Moscow. Judging by NATO's demoralizing response on Tuesday, the Kremlin is right.

The Georgia crisis is the most serious West/Moscow confrontation since the end of the Cold War.  It occurs at the weakest moment in the Bush administration's tenure.  The fact is that our options are limited.  There is no beating of drums for major action on the part of the West.

But the crisis has had one positive effect:  It has forced Americans to look at the presidential candidates as potential commanders-in-chief.  I hope voters will see that one is qualified to lead the nation through a crisis like this, and one is not.  If Georgia tilts our country toward Senator McCain, the Russian invasion of that oppressed democracy may turn out to be a major Kremlin blunder, placing a man in the White House who has studied Russian intentions for years, and understands them.  There can be no joy in Moscow over that prospect.

August 20, 2008.